Voters in three critical swing states, Colorado, Iowa and Virginia, give their governors good job
approval ratings and are strongly optimistic about the next three or four years in their states
under their current governors, according to a Quinnipiac University Swing State Poll released
today.

Job approval ratings for U.S. Senators in the three states range from a better than 3-1
score for Iowa's Chuck Grassley to a lackluster grade for Colorado's Cory Gardner and Michael
Bennet, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University Poll finds. The Swing State
Poll focuses on key states in the presidential election.

Colorado voters still strongly support legalization of recreational marijuana in the state,
although only one in five voters admits to using marijuana since it became legal January 1, 2014.

"An improving economy nationally seems to be helping the political climate even in the
dead of a very cold winter. Incumbent governors are getting good grades from these electorates.
Voters in Colorado, Iowa and Virginia are optimistic about the future," said Peter A. Brown,
assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

With noticeable gender and age gaps, voters support legalized recreational marijuana
58 - 38 percent. Men support legalization 63 - 33 percent, with women in favor 53 - 44 percent.
Voters 18 to 34 years old support it 82 - 16 percent. Support drops to 58 - 38 percent among
voters 35 to 54 years old. Among voters over 55 years old, 46 percent support legalization, with
50 percent opposed.

While 53 percent of Colorado voters say they have tried marijuana, only 19 percent say
they've tried it since it became legal last year.

"Colorado voters are as happy with 'Hick,' Gov. John Hickenlooper, as they were before
an ugly reelection campaign," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll.

"As for pot, they remain neither cold nor hot. Voters still think it was a good move to
legalize recreational marijuana, but few admit to joining the ranks of new 'imbibers.'"

Iowa

Long-time Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad gets a 59 - 31 percent job approval rating from
voters, who say 67 - 24 percent they are optimistic about the next four years with Gov. Branstad
at the helm.

Voters approve by a solid 67 - 21 percent of the job U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is doing
and say 55 - 30 percent that he deserves reelection in 2016.

Support for reelection is over 50 percent among men and women, 72 - 15 percent among
Republicans and 58 - 28 percent among independent voters. Democrats say 48 - 39 percent that
Sen. Grassley does not deserve reelection.

"U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, who took Iowa and conservatives nationally by storm in the 2014
balloting, is getting good approval numbers for a first-timer," Brown said. "Iowa seems to be an
incumbent's happy place these days as Gov. Terry Branstad and Sen. Charles Grassley, who is a
big favorite for re-election, find themselves in strong shape with the voting public."

Virginia

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe finishes his first year in office with a 49 - 25 percent job
approval rating as 26 percent of voters remain undecided.

By a strong 62 - 26 percent margin, however, voters are optimistic about the next three
years with McAuliffe as governor.

"Virginia is much like Iowa in voter affection for top officials. The difference in Iowa is
that the governor and senators are all Republicans, while in Virginia they are all Democrats.
That's quite a turnaround from the days not that long ago when The Old Dominion was solidly
red," Brown said.

From February 5 - 15 Quinnipiac University surveyed:

1,049 Colorado voters with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points;

1,089 Iowa voters with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points;

1,074 Virginia voters with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

Live interviewers call land lines and cell phones.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public
opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia,
Iowa, Colorado and the nation as a public service and for research.

For more information, visit http://www.quinnipiac.edu/polling, call (203) 582-5201, or
follow us on Twitter @QuinnipiacPoll.

12.abc. Do you approve or disapprove of the way - (CO) John Hickenlooper / (IA) Terry Branstad / (VA) Terry McAuliffe - is handling his job as Governor?

16ab. (CO/IA only) Looking ahead to the 2016 election for United States Senator, do you feel that - (CO) Michael Bennet / (IA) Chuck Grassley - deserves to be reelected, or do you feel that he does not deserve to be reelected?